1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to tools for farriers, veterinarians and horse owners. More particularly, this invention relates to a stand for supporting a horse""s hoof or foot for horseshoe removal, hoof trimming, horseshoe fitting, horseshoe installation and hoof maintenance.
2. Related Art
Most farriers physically support the horse""s leg during shoeing operations by holding the horse""s leg between their own legs, with the horse leg coming through the farrier""s legs from the farrier""s backside. This is a precarious, sometimes dangerous position and always a physically-demanding position. First, the farrier must remove the old horseshoe. Then the hoof must be trimmed and filed. Next, the new shoe must be fitted to the hoof profile and nailed in place. Finally, the nails are clinched and the anterior profile of the hoof is filed and shaped. All of these operations are best performed with the hoof supported at an elevation above ground level.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,167,216 for a Multiple Stand To Aid Shoeing Horses teaches a two-position tripod-type stand having a pair of alternating upright members disposed at a right angle with respect to one another. A pair of opposing legs are connected to the vertex joint of the uprights, each at a slightly obtuse angle with respect to both uprights. In one position, one upright extends vertically upward while the second upright acts as the third leg of the tripod. In the second position, the second upright extends vertically upward while the first upright acts as the third leg of the tripod. A hard hoof cradle is attached to the distal end of one of the uprights and a flat plate is attached to the distal end of the other upright. The cradle holds the hoof in an elevated generally horizontal position to provide access to the bottom of the hoof, while the flat plate provides an elevated platform to support the bottom of the hoof to provide convenient access to the anterior of the hoof. An optional upright with an anvil attachment can be removably substituted for either of the other two uprights.
The U.S. Pat. No. 4,167,216 device has some disadvantages. First, the length of the uprights are not adjustable to accommodate the necessary difference in working height between front and back hooves of a single horse, nor to accommodate different-sized horses. Second, the hoof cradle construction does not provide any concussion absorption and is prone to the hoof dislodging from the cradle. Thirdly, the legs and horizontally extending upright (effectively a leg) pose a hazard both to the farrier and to the horse.
Blackburn (U.S. Pat. No. 89,379) discloses a rest for shoeing horses with a thick base and a hinged, v-shaped member upon which the horse hoof rests. The arms of the v-shaped member extend vertically upward, and one of the arms is hinged to pivot to the side when the weight of the hoof is placed on the v-shaped member. The Blackburn device includes an incremental ratchet adjustment to raise and lower the v-shaped member relative to the base. The inventor believes that prior art devices, such as the Blackburn device, would tend to have undesirable effects on a horse, including metallic sounds during height adjustment, of metal against metal, that would upset/frighten the animal. Because horses are usually nervous, easily-frightened animals that respond instinctually to noises and unfamiliar or uncomfortable movements according to the well-known xe2x80x9cfear-flightxe2x80x9d behavior. Further, the inventor believes that prior art devices, which include incremental raising or lowering a metal upright inside a metal receiver tube using a ratchet system, would tend to cause uneven and jerky motion and metallic sounds created by relative movement and contact of the metal upright and receiver tube. The inventor believes that pivoting/flexing arms or other moving parts would upset/frightened the animal, especially if the pivoting/flexing occurs in response to the weight of the animal""s foot and if it causes the stand to xe2x80x9cclampxe2x80x9d the foot/hoof.
What is needed is an adjustable-height, safer stand that more securely holds the hoof in the horizontal position. What is still needed is a stand that is less intimidating to both horses and users. What is needed is a light-weight and convenient stand that is comfortable and quiet, for non-stressful work with a horse""s hoof and/or foot.
The invention comprises a farriers"" and horse owners"" stand (hereafter also called xe2x80x9chorse owner""s standxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cstandxe2x80x9d) that is preferably substantially plastic and, therefore, is quiet and lightweight. The stand includes a broad, flat base and a hoof support system upending from the base. The hoof support system is adjustable in height and includes a hoof-receiving platform at its top end. Several hoof-receiving platforms are removable and interchangeable with each other. The preferred height-adjustment is continuous rather than incremental, and the height-adjustment means preferably is substantially silent and smooth.
The broad, flat base is preferably nearly as wide in diameter as the upending hoof support is tall, that is, the flat base diameter preferably is about 75% to 130% of the height of the stand, depending mainly on how high the hoof support is adjusted. Buttresses or other reinforcements preferably extend from the upending portion of the stand hoof to the flat base to strengthen the stand overall without unnecessarily increasing the total weight. The flat bas is preferably round and preferably tapers to be thinner near its outer edge, to provide a top surface that slants downward toward the outside. This slanting top surface and thin outer perimeter allow a user to stand on the base with at least one foot and preferably both feet to anchor the invented stand as it is used. Further, the stand may include holders or fasteners for holding tools and/or replacement hoof platforms for storage and easy access.
One embodiment of the invention includes a polyethylene base formed having a large generally flat base and a narrow, truncated-conical upright receiving portion centrally protruding from the base. A hoof platform is configured to be slidably held within the upright receiving portion and a lock is provided for securing the hoof platform within the upright holder receiving portion at a selected height. A first hoof platform includes a diverging U-shaped cradle attached to its distal end. A flexible strap, such as a nylon webbing, is slung across the cradle and attached to the opposing ends of the cradle to form a hoof-receiving sling. The cradle and strap are configured to securely hold the hoof and absorb concussion associated with nailing and hoof maintenance, and, in this respect, the hoof-receiving sling may be considered one type of firm yet cushioning structure. A second hoof platform simply provides a generally flat surface to receive the bottom of a hoof at an elevated position above the ground for anterior hoof work. Both hoof platforms are sized and shaped to be closely and slidably received within the upright receiving portion, and to be fixed along their respective lengths relative to the upright receiving portion to adjust the working height by the adjustable lock.
The combination of the polyethylene base and the preferred flexible-strap cradle provide a cushioning and quiet device for minimizing stress to the horse, while also providing a firm platform that gives the horse owner or farrier a sure, steady and safe work platform on which the hoof will not wobble or significantly shift during the work. The generally flat polyethylene base provides a safe and stable support for the stand and diminishes the chance of either the farrier or the horse from being injured by tripping over, or stepping on, a protruding leg.
Additionally, the broad plastic base provides for concussion absorption and distribution. The base is formed with a rounded perimeter edge, and from a material which is much softer than the metal used in prior art stands. Additionally, the edges of the cradle are preferably rounded to reduce the chance of injury, as well as the wear on the flexible strap. The combination of the flexible strap and the plastic or similar material base, provide a hoof support system which is has been found to be much more acceptable to all horses tested.
Additional advantages and novel features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description that follows, and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned by practice of the invention.